Deconstructed Eggplant Falafel

Please allow me to introduce you to the most amazing meal.

High protein.


High fiber.


Lots and lots and lots of healthy nutrients.


Gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.

Please rotate this Eggplant Falafel into your monthly meal rotation.  Wait, how about weekly... it's that good.

I first saw this recipe from Joanne at Eats Well With Others.  She is an amazing vegetarian cook and takes mouth watering photos.  I took her recipe for Falafel-Stuffed Eggplant with Tahini Sauce and Tomato Relish and put a few subtle twists on it.  Now it's in a gluten free and vegan form and much heartier since I didn't puree the "stuffing" like she did.  

This is a perfect recipe to serve for guests as well, a lot of the prep work can be done at an earlier time and the presentation is just beautiful.

Ingredients:
Tahini Sauce:


3 tbsp water
2 tbsp tahini (found at specialty food stores) (you could sub hummus if you'd like)
4 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced

Eggplant "Stuffing":


1 large eggplant
few pinches salt
1/4 chopped onion
2 portobello mushrooms diced
2 Tbsp parsley
1 tbsp tahini
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chickpeas crushed (I used a potato masher and went to town.  you want it to be chunky so it gives the meal a "heartier" feel.  usually the chickpeas are processed to a paste... but I am still waiting on a food processor!)

Relish:


1 cup chopped tomato 
1/2 finely chopped cucumber
1 Tbsp parsley
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt

Method:


1)  Preheat oven to 475 F.
2)  Prepare tahini by mixing water, tahini, lemon juice, cumin and garlic.
3)  Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and cut sides with a crosshatch pattern.  Place cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 7- 10 minutes until slightly tender and brown.
4)  Remove from the oven and carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving a 3/4-inch edge.  Place pulp in a medium sized bowl.
5)  Combine eggplant pulp with salt, onion, parsley, tahini, olive oil, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne, garlic, mushrooms, and chickpeas in medium sized bowl.  
6)  Spoon the chickpea mixture into eggplant and bake for 25 minutes until the eggplant is tender and the chickpea mixture is lightly brown.
7)  To make the relish, combine the tomato, cucumber, parsley, balsamic, and olive oil.  (I was out of balsalmic vinegar so I mixed 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar with 1/4 tsp sugar to substitute).
8)  To eggplants with relish and drizzle with tahini sauce. 

Enjoy this amazingly refreshing and healthy meal!


(major hubby approved FYI  ;)